Physics Math

Most of introductory physics is applied math. Kinematic equations are algebra. Projectile motion is vectors and trigonometry. Work and energy are formulas you plug into. Once the physical setup is clear, the rest of the problem usually comes down to solving for what you don't know.

This section is built for students who understand the physical ideas but get stuck on the math — setting up equations, choosing the right formula, rearranging for a different unknown, or working through the algebra cleanly.

Lessons

  • Vectors — magnitude, direction, components, and addition. The foundation for most physics problems beyond one dimension.
  • Kinematic Equations — the four equations of constant-acceleration motion and how to pick the right one.
  • Newton's Laws of Motion — inertia, \(F = ma\), action-reaction, and free-body diagrams.
  • Projectile Motion — vectors and kinematics applied to two-dimensional motion under gravity.
  • Work, Energy, and Power — the math of mechanical work, kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy, and power.
  • Momentum — \(p = mv\), impulse, and conservation of momentum in collisions.
  • Ohm's Law — \(V = IR\), power dissipation, and combining resistors in series and parallel.

Calculators

The approach

This isn't a complete physics curriculum. The conceptual side of physics — why objects fall, what energy really is — is covered well by other resources, and a few of them are linked below. What you get here is the mathematical machinery: how to recognize which equation fits a problem, how to rearrange for an unknown, and how to keep the units straight along the way.

The section covers the standard topics of an introductory physics course. Lessons are added or expanded over time as new content lands.

Other physics resources worth bookmarking